Coasting

[MiltonHavoc]

I just have to wonder if your car coasts well or not. I think my front end needs some attention, but what leads me to this is its coasting characteristics.
I will be going down the highway on a flat stretch. Going about 75 or so. I will let off the gas sometimes just because, and in a couple of seconds I will drop about 5-6 mph. My Z and my Honda will coast for a good 10 seconds on the same stretch of road before slowing down.


How about you guys?

[crazyrog17]

Do you mean 50-60mph?

Auto or Manual?

[bhazard]

Re: Coasting

In gear or neutral?

[Pu241]

your Z and Honda do not have the aerodynamics of a refrigerator either.

[MiltonHavoc]

Auto. Going 75 before letting off the gas. In gear. Mini-fridge....

[TorqueEffect]

Aerodynamics is probably the biggest reason.

I would like to know if anyone has come up with any mods that would help the Festiva cut through the air a bit better?

I know that big gaping hole on the left side of the radiator doesn't help.

[TheresGabe]

An automatic Festiva is about at it's top of the RPM range (If I remember correctly from my ATX Aspire, it was in Gear #3 anything after 50mph, and that was only if I really pushed it). Why wouldn't it slow down a lot if you let off of the gas? You are still in a gear that is all wound up... Right?

[MiltonHavoc]

I guess 70 is about its top. But I wind her out to 80 sometimes for my whole trip if she has sat for a few days unmoved.....

[crazyrog17]

I've gone 85 for more than an hour in my auto. There's no freewheeling device in the transmission so when the engine rpms drop, so do the wheels

[XFSE71]

Federal law requires design engineers to provide engine braking in the top gear. so it is supposed to slow down. Z & Honda should do the same. Aerodynamics of a fridge that gets 40+mpg, try that with your Kelvinator.

[rmoltis]

I've noticed that with my ford aspire with a coefficient drag of .36. Going down the biggest hill out of gear in neutral if I'm doing around 70 it will usually slow down to a coast of 60-65 mph. So based on the wind its good for 60-65 through the wind before I need more fuel.
I'm not sure how it is in the festiva but they have a coefficient drag of .35 which is .01 better than the aspire mostly due to less surface area for the wind to drag over as well as smaller frontal area. I would assume it had similar characteristics. Where at a point the wind would actually slow it down.